How likely is that to happen for a navy HPSP?

How likely is that to happen for a navy HPSP? Well...it's possible. I know many who went to Marine bases out of dental school. Many went to the AEGD programs offered while serving the Marines. There are AEGD programs with 1st FSSG Camp Pendleton, 2nd Camp Lejeune and 3rd Okinawa. Tour length is a minimum of 2 years I believe although I'm aware of an exception where everyone at that location had 3 year orders...I know that many who went to those AEGD programs ended up in Iraq at least once. So, I think it's safe to say at least for now that if you're assigned with the Marines, you're likely going to Iraq...hope this helps.

Well...it's possible. I know many who went to Marine bases out of dental school. Many went to the AEGD programs offered while serving the Marines. There are AEGD programs with 1st FSSG Camp Pendleton, 2nd Camp Lejeune and 3rd Okinawa. Tour length is a minimum of 2 years I believe although I'm aware of an exception where everyone at that location had 3 year orders...I know that many who went to those AEGD programs ended up in Iraq at least once. So, I think it's safe to say at least for now that if you're assigned with the Marines, you're likely going to Iraq...hope this helps.

Thanks for the help, deep impact. Is there a way not to be sent to Iraq or avoid to be with Marines? I have no problems with staying on a ship for months but Middle East is too much for me to handle. I know they offer you a list of choices for AEGD programs, and yet they hardly take that into consideration when it comes to assignment. So is the whole assignment process a random process for the navy dental?

For those that did go to Iraq, how long were the tours for the Navy dentists? I know the Army tours are at least a year or more, which is a long time in my humble opinion.

I talked to a commander who said that he did 6 months in Kuwait (I think), but that seems sort of unrealistic for a new Navy dentist.

While in a residency, my understanding is that you are undeployable, however you can be deployed after this year. I know a few people who received 3 year orders to 29 palms right out of school, and I think Okinawa is generally 3 year orders (1 year AEGD, and 2 years following). You can always request a ship following your residency/credentialing tour year, but there are no guarantees. I believe most of the deployments are 6 months.

You can be deployable after that residency year. I believe the tour length is 6 months for now, but there is great talk about increasing the tour length... Also, you absolutely can still be deployed even if you're not with the Marines. No one's really safe from deployments anymore even if you're on shore duty. Anyone who tells you otherwise does not know what's going on in the Navy dental corps today. Deploy, deploy, deploy is what they are preaching. Let's see if Navy dental can still retain the best with this philosophy...

You can be deployable after that residency year. I believe the tour length is 6 months for now, but there is great talk about increasing the tour length... Also, you absolutely can still be deployed even if you're not with the Marines. No one's really safe from deployments anymore even if you're on shore duty. Anyone who tells you otherwise does not know what's going on in the Navy dental corps today. Deploy, deploy, deploy is what they are preaching. Let's see if Navy dental can still retain the best with this philosophy...
do you have to do an AEGD or other residency right out of school or can you just do your four years and get out?

So you don't want to get deployed and you don't want to treat soldiers. Why are you joining?

do you have to do an AEGD or other residency right out of school or can you just do your four years and get out?

At this time, you do not have to do an AEGD, but consider carefully. The one extra year in the military will not only allow you to practice on a greater scope while in the military, but you will also have a more well-rounded dental education when you get out into civilian practice.

An update about AEGD programs for the upcoming year from CAPT Fischer, the director of dental programs:

"FOR GRADUATING SENIORS ONLY: As a result of fewer seniors requesting AEGD programs that had been forecast, a decision has been made to optimally man as many programs as we can instead of keeping all our programs open with fewer residents. We have decided not to enroll any residents in the AEGD programs at the Dental Battalions (Lejeune, Pendleton, and Okinawa) in the summer of 2008; unless we access a large number of direct accessions between now and the summer of 2008 that desire to attend AEGD programs. I reviewed everyone’s input and only found one senior that had requested to go only to one of the Dental Battalions. Everyone else had a combination of choices between the Battalions and other sites. If you have any concerns about this change please contact me directly and I will address any questions you have."

An update about AEGD programs for the upcoming year from CAPT Fischer, the director of dental programs:

"FOR GRADUATING SENIORS ONLY: As a result of fewer seniors requesting AEGD programs that had been forecast, a decision has been made to optimally man as many programs as we can instead of keeping all our programs open with fewer residents. We have decided not to enroll any residents in the AEGD programs at the Dental Battalions (Lejeune, Pendleton, and Okinawa) in the summer of 2008; unless we access a large number of direct accessions between now and the summer of 2008 that desire to attend AEGD programs. I reviewed everyone’s input and only found one senior that had requested to go only to one of the Dental Battalions. Everyone else had a combination of choices between the Battalions and other sites. If you have any concerns about this change please contact me directly and I will address any questions you have."

thanks for the insider info, eric. does this mean that there will no more aegd programs for the navy hpspers? or are they just gonna shut down a few of them

The way I read it, they're just closing them down due to disinterest. It would be a waist of personnel to have instructers assigned without students. Maybe next year, if interest is improved (not likely), they will reopen some programs.

Speaking with the heads in Bethesda they are putting those three programs "to sleep" until they have enough applicants to run them at capacity. There will still be three AEGD programs open for this coming year: Norfolk, Great Lakes and San Diego.